Sheri here –
In my last blog – Ch-Ch-Changes, I discussed spending cash (no credit cards) only. A MAJOR rethinking of how we spend money!
How is the journey going with you in spending cash only? Did you try that? Has it been bringing up old messages you thought were long gone? Or have you been thinking twice about why you really would want to buy something or other possible trade offs?
Rethinking how we do things
Breaking old habits takes dedicated brainpower. Interesting things come out of that effort including confronting old ways of thinking (maybe limiting beliefs) and the possibility of new freedoms!
I know it has been a mixed results journey for me – some of the things that I had to look twice at were the Nordstrom’s annual sale – oh, all those goodies! Then thinking ahead to vacation and all the things I want to do. Decisions, decisions, decisions. I’d not thought about things at this level, the level of tradeoffs (cash vs. credit) for a while – I’d gotten complacent.
There is absolutely nothing stopping us from doing it all, but maybe not all at once! Take a little time for a reflection on trade offs to do it smartly and how you don’t need to pay for it again and again over time like you do when you put it on your credit card.
As life continues to unfold, are you looking at all the possibilities to go and do and be?
I know that I continue doing that and I’ve also been looking at all the amazing blessings that already exist in my life. Like sharing with a friend like you how much I appreciate you.
Tips for saving money
Here are 9 tips from my 101 Ways to Save Money to get you started on your savings journey!
1. Do a thrift store crawl. You can find high quality, gently used clothes, especially in fancy neighborhoods. It can be both entertaining and fun, in addition to saving money!
2. Avoid shopping online or buying “stuff” just because it’s on sale; ask yourself if you really need it? My husband regularly tells me I’d save even more if I didn’t buy something just because it was on sale!
3. Occasionally, eat out at a less costly place, you might be surprised by a good meal at a lower price!
4. Look at all your magazine subscriptions – are you reading them? Do they bring you joy or are they just stacking up unread? If going unread, eliminate the subscription and buy an issue occasionally as a treat! This also counts as a green activity – less paper to throw away.
5. If you use a credit card, especially because you use it to get rewards (miles, cash, etc.) pay it off entirely monthly to avoid most service charges or interest.
6. Get your free annual credit reports from each of the three credit bureaus at www.AnnualCreditReport.com . Review them for any discrepancies and contact the bureaus to get those discrepancies resolved. These reports will let you know what might impact your credit and cost you in higher interest rates or denied credit.
7. Consider using a “no brand name” gas at a lower cost and similar quality. That $.10 or $.20 a gallon adds up!
8. Is it time to shop around for lower priced insurance or have you recently satisfied yourself that your coverage is both appropriate and cost effective?
9. Sell some of those things sitting around that you don’t use. Have a garage sale or sell them on eBay. Make some money and reduce clutter.
Oh my – that is a LOT to take in. And it is a LOT of potential money savings. And it is a lot of possible change, that might be the bigger challenge here to saving money. Perhaps we need to talk about managing and surviving change at another time.
Drop a comment below and let me know if the thought of money or just spending cash (even on your debit card) makes you break out in hives and how I can help!
Ciao and hugs,
Sheri
P.S. If you would like all the tips at once – you can get the “101 Ways to Save Money” here!
